[News] Legislators ask for details on Erie County’s pandemic spending

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A number of Erie County legislators are asking for more transparency with how the county uses its COVID-19 emergency fund.

“When the emergency fund was created, the Legislature unanimously agreed that we would need a full accounting of expenditures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the spread slows down and we head in the right direction, it’s time to take a closer look at the money that has gone out the door and how it was spent. Erie County taxpayers deserve transparency, especially when we’re expected to get another $178 million in federal funds in the coming days. Before that money is allocated we need details on how relief funds have been spent to date.”

LEGISLATOR JOE LORIGO
Legislators Joe Lorigo, Chris Greene, Frank Todaro and John Mills say Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, the county’s Budget Office and the Health Department were required to provide spending information to the Legislature after the emergency fund was set up.

That information includes vendor payments, new jobs and other costs associated with Erie County’s response to the pandemic.

“Now that the dust is beginning to settle, we need to see how the funds were spent throughout the past year,” Mills says. “I hope the Administration will understand the importance of providing this information and I look forward to reviewing it as soon as possible.”

MORE | Read the legislators’ letter to Erie County Director of Budget and Management Robert Keating here.

Evan Anstey is a digital content producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here.